Quality Time

I have had very little time to spend with the Twerp lately because of work which brought "quality time" to mind. Many busy parents try to spend "quality time" with their children with what little time they can spare from work commitments.

But does quality time really help? Or are we just comforting ourselves by saying we spend quality time with our children even if it's just half a day on weekends?

I'm trying to make the most of the time before I go to work, having breakfast with her and after work playing a little. Daddy is also unable to spend much time with her since he has hospital duty. It helps that my office is walking distance from where we live but still, I feel that it's not enough and this is when she needs our presence most. She's learning and discovering new things everyday. I feel it's vital that we are there to guide her. In my case it's just two months out of a year during the peak season at work but how about parents whose schedules are busy all year round? Do children really benefit from "quality time" of maybe a few hours on a weekend when they spend the rest of the week with caregivers?

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A Plane Ride

The Twerp's second time on an airplane at 21 months. She enjoyed looking out the window at the clouds and the islands below. The plane ride was only about an hour.

Her first time on a plane was for a longer trip. She was 1 year old then. We did not have any problems as she asked for milk on take off and fell asleep. Same thing on the flight back.

This time, aside from looking out the window, she kept busy looking at the magazines and check out the seat, the tray table, the window shade, just about anything she could get her hands on.

Hosted by Krystyn at Really, Are You Serious?

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A New Yaya

The Twerp's yaya (caregiver) got pregnant so we've had to look for a replacement. I know it's very hard to find a yaya. The new one arrived last Thursday recommended by my cousin who first took care of my toddler. I was hesitant to get her because she's in her 50s. I prefer a young yaya who can get down to my toddler's level and have the energy to play with her.

Yesterday, preggy yaya went off duty promising to come back today. P's already been annoyed that she takes off overnight for more than 24 hours. He thinks she's taking too much time off but she's leaving anyway and trying to sort things out with her family. I thought it's a good time to ease Via into the new yaya. I had new yaya bathe Via and she cried all through the bath. I had her give Via her lunch and all she did was cry until she fell asleep with eating a bite. It's only been 2 days but Via's not taking to the new yaya at all and sticking to me like glue even more.

My aunt called yesterday saying that she might have a younger yaya for me, her neighbor's helper that's leaving her employment. I want to get this one but the older yaya is already here. Taking both of them to see which one works out well is an expense I can't afford but am tempted. In any case I don't know how to tell the other one we're letting her go for the younger one since she left her previous employment for us. What to do? What to do? This is an issue I knew would come and it's always made me anxious because I've been reading and hearing so much about yayas abusing children under their care. We really have to choose carefully and not just settle for the first one that comes along. Hopefully, she works out well.

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How Rude!

We were at Powermac in Megamall Cyberzone yesterday looking for a cover for P's ipad. The store displays all the ipods and macbooks, etc. they have which people can try out. The ipod touch caught my eye because it was showing new games. Via and I went over there to check it out and P soon joined us. We were discussing which games to download when we were rudely pushed by a chubby boy of about 7 years old. I turned to look and he kept on shoving himself between us trying to get to the ipod touch all the while pushing P and me away with his hands. I heard a woman behind us, who I assumed was his mother, weakly call out something like "Aki." Probably his name. That was all. She went on about her business and the boy kept pushing us out of the way. I stared at the boy in disbelief. I have never seen such rudeness! I wanted to stand my ground and see what he would do next but then I thought, never mind. He's not my kid. 

I noticed that many kids these days lack manners and are loud and obnoxious. It bothers me even more that they seem to come from middle to upper class families and go to exclusive private schools. We seem to be raising a generation of brats and kids who feel entitled. Parents often don't have time to teach their children the values that were taught the generation before because they're busy with work or too many modern-day concerns. These kids are also given toys that cost a month's salary for some people.

It makes me worry what kind of world my daughter will be growing up in. I hope we are able to teach her old fashioned values and lay a good foundation before she goes off to school and be exposed to other children who might have a bad influence.

Small children should also not be given high tech, expensive gadgets as toys. It sends them the wrong message of having something expensive and not earning it. Also, it discourages them from going out, socializing and playing with other children their age.

Raising children is a big responsibility and very challenging, but more so in the environment that we are in now.

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Potty Training Your Toddler

First is to find out if she's ready for potty training. It increases chances of success. Younger babies may be also be taught but it is likely that they will forget and they are more prone to having "accidents." If your toddler is able to dress herself, is aware that she is about to poo or pee, or that she has, then the process has a great chance for success.

Take her with you to the bathroom and let her get familiar with her potty. Let her sit on it fully clothed if she wants to but never force her if she does not appear to be interested.

Let her go without diapers for short periods of time and if she does wet herself or have a bowel movement, tell her what happened without being negative. Don't tell her it's messy or smelly. Let her know that it is a natural thing to happen and explain that it is usually done in the bathroom on the potty.

Control of bowel movement usually comes before bladder control. You can usually tell if your toddler is having a bowel movement. They will stop what they are doing or grunt or sit down. When this happens bring her to the bathroom right away and sit her on the potty while explaining what is happening. It is much harder to catch them when urinating. You will usually know after the fact. Just explain what happened and let her get familiar with the wet sensation.

Toddlers are anxious to please and coupled with lavish praises when they do the right thing will help them learn faster.

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